


those quiet things

by jjjat3am



Category: Free!
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-01-24
Packaged: 2018-05-16 02:02:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5809231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jjjat3am/pseuds/jjjat3am
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's no better way to warm up on a cold winter's day than cuddling up with your boyfriend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	those quiet things

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mrcyril](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrcyril/gifts).



> Happy Valentine's Day! 
> 
> I tried to write something that would have a first something, but still feel domestic and settled and loving, so I hope I did that and that you enjoy it!

 

 

Makoto let the door slam behind him with a sigh, toeing off his wet boots and laying them carefully on the mat to dry off. Rin’s dark snow boots were already there and Makoto straightened them so they were in line with his, smiling fondly. He put up his coat, over Rin’s on the hook, because they only had the one, as the other two had fallen off some months ago and they hadn’t gotten around to fixing them yet. So they were just using the one hook, which was sagging precariously under the weight of two winter coats, Makoto’s hat and Rin’s usual five scarves (as soon as winter came he never left the house without them).

  
  


The light in the kitchen was on, but the kettle was cold when he felt it with the tips of his fingers (careful, because the last time he’d touched it carelessly, he’d burned himself). Flicking on the switch and ignoring the muted roar it gave out when it started to heat, he set off to explore the rest of the apartment in search for his wayward boyfriend.

  
  


“Rin?” he called out, checking the bathroom on the way and remembering, with a sigh, that he’d forgotten to buy handsoap again today.  

  
  


There wasn’t really a lot of places for Rin to hide anyway, with the apartment being as small as it was. It wasn’t long before Makoto was peering through the cracked door of the bedroom, smiling helplessly at the mountain of blankets on the bed. The only thing visible was a tuft of pink hair peeking from the top.

  
  


“Rin,” he called softly, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. The mountain of blankets that presumably contained his boyfriend wobbled slightly, but didn’t otherwise react. He made his tone deliberately high and teasing in turn. “Rin-chan!”

  
  


Finally, a sign of life; a sleepy eye emerged from the blankets, then two, then the tip of a sharp nose and a mouth, full of sharp teeth, contorted into a grimace. Rin’s eyes had dark shadows under them and his hair was a literal bird’s nest. As Makoto watched, a strand of hair flipped over his nose and he went cross-eyed, presumably trying to glare it into submission, before letting out an annoyed grumble, rubbing his face against the pillow to move it away.

  
  


“What are you grinning like that for?” Rin muttered, and if possible, Makoto grinned wider. “Are you going to come to bed? I’m freezing just looking at you.”

  
  


“Sure,” Makoto said, already halfway through stripping off his sweater. “Any word from the heating company on when they’re fixing the heat?”

  
  


“Not yet,” Rin sighed, rolling over to make room for Makoto. “I’ll call again tomorrow, maybe yell a little, see if it’ll help.”

  
  


“Don’t yell at people,” Makoto said, sliding under the warm covers and humming happily. “They’re just doing their job. Not their fault their company’s slow.”

  
  


“Yeah, yeah,” Rin muttered, immediately burrowing closer to throw his arm around Makoto’s middle and tucking under his chin. His body was still sleepy-warm and soft, and he let out another grumble when Makoto slid his palm under his shirt and tangled their legs. “Jesus, your toes are like icicles, I should have never let you come in here.”

  
  


“Ah, sorry,” Makoto frowned, feeling guilty and withdrew his feet, rubbing them together to warm them.

  
  


“Stop it, you idiot” Rin murmured, pressing in, so Makoto’s feet were pressed up against his calves. “It’s fine.”

  
  


Makoto smiled, burying his face into Rin’s hair, letting the muscles in his back unwind from the stress of the day. The bed was warm, and Rin was even warmer, pressing soft aimless kisses against Makoto’s collarbone. The next door neighbours started to argue, which meant it was five o’clock in the evening already, but the sound was muted and far off. Makoto had the brief vague notion that he should probably get up, start on dinner or paperwork, but he was just too comfortable and sleepy for it to stick. Still, he made an effort.

  
  


“How was work today?” he asked Rin, or rather Rin’s hair, which was still stuck in his face. A long drawn out groan answered him. “That bad?”

  
  


“Not awful,” Rin said, scooting backwards so they were at least looking at each other. Makoto missed the warmth immediately, but their arms stayed around each other. “I was just tired and probably a bit hungover. Not the best condition to be in to lead a bunch of teenagers through swim practice.”

  
  


Makoto hummed in agreement, sliding his hand off Rin’s back to stroke his hair, delighting at the little purr that got him. “You came in late last night.”

  
  


“Yeah,” Rin breathed, his eyes slipping closed. Makoto just kept on stroking his hair, soft and a bit frizzy from all the chlorine. “Captain Mikoshiba insisted on shots, and you know how competitive Sousuke gets. Did I wake you?”

  
  


“You mean how competitive  _ you _ get with Sousuke,” Makoto shakes his head, “You didn’t wake me, I was sleeping really deeply. I didn’t even feel you come in.”

  
  


“Thought so,” Rin smiled fondly, “you were mumbling in your sleep, I think.”

  
  


“What did I say?” Makoto frowned, stilling his hand in Rin’s hair, which earned him a whine. 

  
  


“Nothing bad,” Rin was quick to reassure him, but Makoto could see the red-hot blush on his cheeks even in the half-darkness. “You just said my name a few times.”

  
  


“Oh,” Makoto said, confused, “is that all?”

  
  


“Well, um...you may have...you may have said you loved me.”

  
  


Makoto froze, feeling suddenly cold. They’d lived together for a year now and been together for a further three, and Makoto knew he was in love with Rin, knew it in the way he missed him when he was gone, knew it in the way he smiled after a shit day and in the way Rin’s hair glints in the early morning sunlight and in the way their bodies slot together like puzzle pieces. He’s just never told Rin about it, had convinced himself that it’d be awkward, that it might make Rin upset (that it might make him  _ leave _ ), that it might turn out that he doesn’t feel the same after all.

  
  


“Oh,” he repeated, and something must have shown on his face, because Rin made a low soothing noise, reaching out to trace Makoto’s cheekbone with his thumb.

  
  


“Hey, I love you too, you know that, right?” Rin said softly, and Makoto was suddenly aware of the tears gathering in his eyes and squeezed them shut with a shaky breath. “Makoto?”

  
  


“I love you,” Makoto managed to get out, the fear rapidly washing out in the onslaught of happiness. “I love you, but I wasn’t sure…”

  
  


“You dummy,” Rin sighed, but it was fond, as he carefully wiped away the last of Makoto’s tears. “We’ve been together for years, what did you think?”

  
  


Makoto shook his head, momentarily speechless, then darted in to press his still wet lips to Rin’s.

  
  


“At least I’m not the one crying this time,” Rin murmured against his lips and it startled a laugh out of Makoto. 

  
  


They kissed for a while, tender and unhurried, huddled underneath the blankets in their quiet apartment. Makoto murmured “I love you’s” in between kisses and did his level best not to laugh when the moment got a bit too overwhelming for Rin, who started blinking away tears.

  
  


Everything was peaceful and settled, and they both had smiles on their faces as they slipped into sleep, pressed closely together.

  
  
  


*

  
  
  


A few minutes later, Makoto’s phone rang and they both groaned.

  
  


“That’s probably Haru,” Makoto sighed.

  
  


“Can’t we ignore him?” Rin asked, pressing his head into Makoto’s chest so it came out muffled.

  
  


“Probably not. You remember what happened last time,” Makoto said and they both shuddered. The last time they’d forgotten to take a call from Haru because they were busy, they’d woken up to frantic knocking and what felt like half of Iwatobi at their door. Sousuke laughed for a full fifteen minutes when he heard about it and almost suffocated.

  
  


“Okay, I guess sleep time is over” Rin said, reluctantly emerging from their nest of blankets, “you take the call and I start dinner?”

  
  


“Yes,” Makoto sighed, darting in to steal another kiss, before fishing out the phone from his jacket pocket.

  
  


They commenced their regular evening routine, with Rin chopping vegetables for dinner and Makoto recounting their day to Haru over the phone. 

  
  


At some point, their eyes met across the kitchen counter and Rin mouthed “I love you” to Makoto who grinned so widely that Haru claimed he could hear it over the phone line and demanded to be told what was going on.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> They're both giant crybabies basically, okay, Haru is so done with the both of them.


End file.
